Valve-tightener for tightening valves in pneumatic-tire stems.



C. D. MiLLER. VALVE TlGHYENER FOR mmzume VALVES IN PNEUMATIC TIRE STEMS.

APPuc/mpu mm 59. 28. ms.

Patented June 20,1916.

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WITNESSES I, ,W/ 5 0 NM COSBY D. MILLER, OF ST. JOSEPH, MISSOURI.

VALVE-TIGHTENER FOR TIGHTENING- VALVES IN PNEUMATIC-TIRE STEMS.

Specification 01' Letters Patent.

Patented June 20, 1916.

Application filed February 28, 1916. Serial No. 80,916.

To all whom it may concern:

lie it known that I, Cosnr D. MILLER, a citizen of the United States,residing at St. Joseph, in the county of Buchanan and State of Missouri.have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Valve Tightenersfor Tightening Valves in Pneumatic- Tire Stems, of which the following aspecification, reference being bad therein to the accompanying drawing.

My invention relates to improvements in that class of valve tightenerswhich are used for tightening the valves that are in pneumatic tirestems, and the objects of my improvements are, first, to provide asimple, substantial and durable device of this class, by the use ofwhich, the air inlet valve of an ordinary tire stem, is tightly heldagainst iis valve seat, when said tire is in use, re- ;yirdless of thetension of the conventional spring. by which said valve is ordinarilyseared, thereliy permitting the use of a very weakly tensioned spring,which elinnnatos much of the labor exercised in filling said pneui'natictire with compressed air; second. to so construct. the tightencr that itcan be used as a separate ready attachment for the ordinary tire stemand valve for tightly closing said valve. when the same has be comeleaky. by reason of deficient tension of its said conventional spring;thereby overcoming the necessity of deflating the tire, removii'ig thevalve and spring, replacing the same with new ones, and thereafterperforming the labor of reinflating the tire. I attain these objects bythe devices illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which.

Figure l is an enlarged section cut longitudilially through the centerof an ordinary tire stem and the tightencr, showing the latter as itappears when in use. Fig. 2 i an enh'irged side elevation of thetightener, seen in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section of thetightcner. on the line X X, seen in Fig. 2. looking downward. Fig. 4 isa section similar to Fig. 1. of one of the various other forms in whichthe tightener may be constructed. Fig. 5 is a horizontal section of the.tightener on the line Y Y, seen in Fig. 4, looking downward.

In the preferred form of my invention, as seen in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, tirestem 1 is provided with valve 2, actuated to move upward, by spring 3,and slightly press against valve seat 4, for closing said valve,

which latter is provided with lower and upper valve stems 2' and 2",respectively. Stem 2" has a pair of projections 5, formed on thediametrically opposite sides of the upper end portion thereof. All ofthe previously described parts are old, and form elements of the wellknown tire stems, now generally in use.

It has been found in actual practice, that spring 3 is made with suchweak tension, that valve is not firmly pressed against valve seat 4, andthat such valves are therefore frequently leaky. It has also been foundsaid spring must necessarily be as described, in order to allow saidvalve to be easily opened by pressure of incoming air, which avoidsextra labor of pumping air, when inflating a pneumatic tire, not shown.In order to firmly press valve 2 against its valve seat 4, regardless ofthe tension of spring 3, I have devised the lifting member (3, which hasannular opening 7 formed transversely through its lower end portion.Said member has slot 8 formed therein, extendin from said o en1n throughsaid lower end portion. Said slot is adapted to permit free passagetherethrough. into opening 7, of the upper end of stem 2". and thetherewith formed projections 7, Said lifting member has screw threadsformed on its outer surface, and thumb nut 9 formed on its upper end.(lollar .10 is screwed onto said member and is adapted to be rotatedthereon and to rest upon the top edge of tire stem 1, for lifting saidlifting member.

In operation of the parts, while in the position seen in Fig. valve 2tightly pressed against seat 4, by grasping thumb not 1) with one handand thereby holding the lifting member 6 against rotation and rotatingcollar 10 with the other hand, thus lifting member 6. This presses thelower surface of opening 7 more firmly against the bottom edges ofprojections 5, thereby upwardly straining valve stem 2", by which valve2 is tightly pressed against seat 4. By reversing the describedoperation, the parts are loosened, after which said lifting member isrotated ninety degrees, thereby bringing slot 8 into register withprojections 5, after which said lifting member and the thereon screwconnected collar 10 are lifted from tire stem 1. By reversing the lastdescribed operations, said member is moved to the position shown in Fig.1,

. of said bottom as described.

after which the valve tightenin o eratlons are repeated as escribe uringthe tightening operations, the curved bottom of opening 7 adjusts thelower edges of projections 5, to position .on the center when the partsare strained While I have shown and described my invention in theforegoing manner, it is evident said lifting member 6 could be liftedand tightly held by devices of various forms, other than the screwthreaded collar 10, and that slots of different forms than the slot 8could be used, without departing from the spirit of my invention, whichI reserve the right to do. One of such other forms of lifting devicesand one of such other forms of slots are shown in Figs. 4 and 5, inwhich: the lifting member 6 is provided with thumb;) nut 9', formed onits upper end.

Opening 7' is of the same form and proportions as the previouslydescribed opentherewith formed member 6. Said member, by its engagementwith projections 5', lifts the latter and the therewith formed valvestem 2, which latter lifts valve 2", thereby ti htly closing said valve.

aving fully described my invention,

what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is a Adetachable valve tightener for tightening the valve in a pneumatic tirestem, said valve having a valve stem therefor and projections formedlaterally on the upper end of said valve stem, said tightener comprisinga lifting member having an opening formed laterally through the lowerend portion thereof and a slot formed therein said slot extending fromsaid opening through the lower extremity of said member, said slot beingadapted to be passed over said valve stem projections to a point belowthem and to be turned transversely to said valve stem projections fordetachably engaging the latter with the bottom of said opening; andlifting means whereby said lifting member is ifted for lifting andthereby tightly closing said valve.

r111 testimony whereof I aflix my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

COSBY D. MILLER.

Witnesses JOHN J. H1NTON,, E. O. HARVEY.

